Streetwise Angels
by Krystal-Epyon
Summary: 1&2! Yabuki falls for Shin who has become a prostitute. Ryu's hiding feelings for his friend. Yankumi can't help but meddle. M/M
1. Chapter 1

Usually don't post here, but since there's no archive for the LA on , I figured I may as well. Not that there's one here, either, but it seems like there's a few other LA fics floating about. .

Author: KrystalEpyon

Email:

Title: Streetwise Angels

Warnings: Slash/yaoi, angst, prostitution, senseless Yankumi logic...

Pairings: Shin/Yabuki. (Ryu/Yabuki. :p)

Notes: Odd pairing, I know, but the moment the idea occurred to me, I couldn't shake it. They really would look so good together. . (Not to mention the actors are good friends. :p)

Streetwise Angels

Yabuki grinned as Tsuchi kicked him a bottle. He booted it across the pavement, catching the eye of a guy standing on the street corner. The bottle stopped under his foot and the amused expression on the guy's face gave Yabuki the impression that he was being looked down on.

He surveyed skimpy clothing, taking into consideration unmistakable good looks… There was no doubt the guy was a prostitute.

Not surprising, as they were in the red light district, but something about it bothered Yabuki. He broke eye contact and whispered something to Ryu that made his friend laugh. Shrugging off the minor incident, the group continued towards their destination – a seedy but cheap host club that would allegedly admit students.

Still, Yabuki couldn't shake that guy's eyes. There was something about him… It was like… every so often you could meet someone who caught your attention for some strange reason and it just felt like you were supposed to get involved with them somehow. In ignoring it, Yabuki felt like he'd made a huge mistake. He kept having to shake off the growing urge to go back there. For what, he didn't know. He wasn't the type to go hooking up with male prostitutes – or any prostitutes for that matter. The host club was Tsuchi's idea, and as it was Tsuchi's birthday, it wasn't like he could say no.

Well, he wouldn't normally go to such a place, but on the other hand, it wasn't like he wasn't looking forward to it. With an excuse, it was actually quite exciting…

So why couldn't he get that guy out of his head?

/

Shin had almost been hoping that kid would take the bait. It was fun to play around with high-schoolers trying to feel big by coming down here. In some ways, it reminded him of his own high school days – those days with Yankumi as his teacher when he actually enjoyed school. She'd made him think there was some hope to his life, that he had a future – even if he didn't know what to do with it.

In the end, it hadn't mattered. Whether he had brains, or talent, or what, his father had made sure he'd never have a decent life.

So here he was, walking the streets and provoking little boys on slow nights when there were no customers to take home. It was pathetic, really.

And just like that, Shin's good humor disappeared. He was about to give up on the night and go home when a call caught his attention. He didn't think it was for him until he noticed the kid from earlier striding purposefully towards him.

"Oi!"

Raising his eyebrows, Shin straightened up.

"Got a problem, brat?" he asked, no longer in the mood to mess around.

"Yeah." The high-schooler glanced away for a scant moment, proving that he wasn't as confident as he seemed.

"Well, spit it out. I haven't got all night."

"Why not? Doesn't seem to be anyone lining up to… purchase your services," the guy replied cockily, recovering quickly from his hesitation.

"I don't 'service' kids," Shin replied, turning his back.

"Oi."

The kid grabbed his shoulder, but not in the threatening kind of way Shin was used to. Instead of provoking him, it made him stop. He threw a glance over his shoulder.

"Don't make me regret coming all the way back here," the stranger asked of him, his expression so sincere it almost made Shin laugh.

Instead, he half turned back to face the kid and raised his chin. "Why did you?" he asked, curious despite himself.

"Because I couldn't…" The boy was avoiding his eyes again. "I couldn't get your face out my head," he finished in a mutter.

"That's flattering," Shin deadpanned. "But I told you…"

He didn't finish the sentence, because the kid finally looked at him again, and he was distracted by deep brown eyes.

"I'm not asking you to 'service' me," the kid muttered, sensible enough to sound embarrassed.

"Then go find a host club," Shin retorted, but he didn't try to leave this time. He waited for the kid's response.

"…I'm not gay."

Shin laughed. "Could have fooled me!"

"My name's Hayato."

The introduction caught Shin by surprise for a moment, and he paused, examining 'Hayato's' expression. For some reason he couldn't fathom, he was enjoying this playful banter. Briefly, he wondered if he was losing his mind, but in any case, he extended his hand – very slowly and sensually, for the simple amusement of watching Hayato blush.

"Shin," he said, waiting for Hayato to take his hand.

Obviously, Hayato hadn't thought much about what he meant by approaching a prostitute, or so Shin gathered from the ensuing silence as Hayato took note of the name and then simply stared back at him, their hands still clasped.

Grinning at his own stupidity, let alone that of his new 'friend', Shin made a spur of the moment decision. "Come on." He pulled Hayato by the hand until the boy followed of his own will.

It was safer all round to talk at his apartment.

/

Yabuki really had no idea what he was doing. He'd left the host club, making some pathetic excuse he couldn't even remember, and walked down the streets, looking for the spot he'd seen his unforgettable hooker at. Just when he thought he must have already passed it, he noticed a familiar body disappearing into the dark.

His body reacted before his mind did, and he called out, heading towards the stranger. Suddenly, he was being dragged off to who knew where by a male prostitute he knew nothing about. And yet his feet were still heading in the same direction as Shin who had long since dropped his hand.

If he'd wanted to go home, or even back to the club, he could have – he should have – but he didn't. He followed Shin, all the way back to a cheap-looking apartment. Still, it seemed better than the kind of apartment a street-walker should be able to afford. Maybe Shin got some pretty big business on better nights…

Yabuki didn't want to think about that.

He wandered into Shin's apartment, kicking off his shoes and glancing around to avoid looking at the prostitute.

"You want something to drink?"

"What have you got?" Yabuki asked.

He had no idea what he was supposed to do now. This was probably a practically unheard of situation for Shin as well as for him. There weren't really any social norms for going back to a prostitute's place with no prior relationship, no intention of having sex, and no knowledge of said prostitute except that he had an unforgettable face.

Shin looked him down, smirking. "Aside from alcohol? Cola."

"I'm fine with alcohol," Yabuki replied, looking the hooker in the eyes. He wasn't about to let himself get treated like a kid just cause this guy was a little older than him.

"I'm not giving alcohol to a minor," Shin replied, brushing him off.

Irritated, Yabuki considered trying to twist his arm, but it wasn't worth it. He didn't feel like drinking, anyway.

"How old are you?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Twenty-four," Shin replied.

Yabuki glanced past him and was pleased to notice that at the very least, Shin was going to drink the same as him, pouring two glasses of coke. That was a fair concession.

All of a sudden, Yabuki's balance was shaken by something wrapping around his ankle. He looked down to see a little white cat twisting between his legs to say hello. Grinning, he picked it up, cradling the friendly thing in his arms and petting it gently.

For some reason feeling more confident with the cat in his arms, he blurted out a question whilst once more looking around the room. "Do you bring your clients back here?" he asked, continuing to stroke the purring ball of fur.

"Not that it's your business, but I do," Shin replied.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Yabuki questioned, unable to help his curiosity.

"It's cheaper than paying for a hotel room," Shin told him, finally bringing the drinks over. He handed one to Yabuki and then took the cat under his arm and nuzzled its head. "Besides, I can take care of myself."

"What's his name?" Yabuki asked, nodding at the cat.

"'Her' name is Igami – Gami for short."

Yabuki couldn't help a little smirk, trying to hide it behind his glass.

Shin glared at him.

"It's an unusual name," Yabuki soothed. "Even if you get such a bad joke," he added under his breath.

Ignoring him, Shin moved over to the Futon spread out by the wall. Yabuki followed, feeling just slightly nervous as he sat beside Shin on the bed. It wasn't like there was anywhere else to sit, so he tried not to think about it too much. Gami happily curled up in Shin's lap.

"What school do you go to?" Shin asked, making conversation to banish the slightly awkward silence.

Glad to have the initiative taken from him, Yabuki replied before taking a gulp of his drink. "Kurogin academy."

A moment later, he choked, his eyes watering as his mouth was filled with a strong, bitter taste to compliment the sweet soda. He caught himself and glared at Shin who was grinning into his own cup which was already half drained.

"I thought you said-"

"What? Is Cola too strong for you? Think you'd be able to handle water, at least?"

Fine, they could play that game. Alcohol, what alcohol?

"So…"

"Why did you come back?" Shin asked suddenly, looking straight at Yabuki.

Caught off guard by the question, Yabuki prepared himself and took another mouthful of the strong drink. "I already told you," he said, feeling the burn as the alcohol filtered into his system.

"You also told me you're not gay, so I'm having a hard time figuring out what you want from me," Shin pressed, gently urging the cat off his lap.

"… I don't know. I didn't really think that far ahead," Yabuki admitted, nervously glancing back at Shin and wondering what he'd gotten himself into.

"You should have some idea, at least. You seem to have enough friends, so I doubt you came here just to chat… or to pass the time…"

Yabuki's heart began to race in his chest as Shin shifted closer to him. He subtly reached into his pocket, fingering the notes there and wondering how much the charge would be…

"Yankumi would kill me," he whispered, his teacher's face popping into his head all of a sudden as if summoned by the very thought of a bad deed.

The next thing he knew, Yabuki was out on his ass, staring at a locked door.

/

After his initial displacement due to the sheer uniqueness of the situation, Shin got it together. It was obvious that he was in control, so he could decide where to draw the lines without having to worry.

The thing was, despite that he knew nothing about the unusual kid, the more he looked at Hayato's pretty face, the more he heard that strong, confident voice, the more he talked to the high-schooler… he found he didn't want to draw any lines. In fact, at some point he'd come to the decision to forgo his usual charge and give the kid a freebie – it wasn't often he was actually attracted to someone, after all.

However, that was until he heard the fatal word:

'Yankumi.'

Nothing could have killed his libido faster.

"Yankumi would kill me."

"Yankumi?" Shin asked, stopping dead in his tracks.

"Uh… Yankumi is..."

"Your teacher?" Though he heard the coldness in his own voice, Shin couldn't afford not to get a straight answer. If Hayato was one of 'her' students, or even attending the same school she was teaching at… Shin had to cut ties with him immediately. There would be nothing worse than for Yankumi to find out what he was doing. That was the one thing Shin could never accept.

"Yeah, she's-"

"Looks like I can't conduct business with 'students' after all," Shin said suddenly, bundling Hayato out the door as quickly as possible.

Maybe it was cold of him, but that was just how it had to be. There was no way he was going to risk coming into contact with that woman. She could never, never know that he was selling his body in order to live.

Locking his front door, Shin paused and took a deep breath. He had to calm down… He strode over to the kitchen area and grabbed the bottle of whiskey he'd left out, taking a straight swig.

It was a shame he'd had to throw that cute boy out, but either way it was for the best. He shouldn't entertain the idea of sleeping with high-schoolers, after all. No matter how mature. No matter how old. No matter whose students. No matter how attractive.

/

Hayato knew he shouldn't linger on it. He knew he should just forget about it and move on. In fact, he should be grateful that the brief insanity had come to an abrupt end, because there wasn't a doubt in his mind that he would have done anything Shin wanted, and then where would he have been?

But he couldn't help it. If only he hadn't mentioned Yankumi, if only he'd lied about her being his teacher. No doubt his childish reliance on a teacher of all people was what caused Shin to change his mind. It was stupid. It was annoying.

It was all Yankumi's fault.

"Everyone, listen up! I have some exciting news!" called the woman in question, bustling into the room with a stack of paper and a huge, dopey grin on her face.

A collective groan was heard throughout the room, but Yabuki couldn't even bring himself to smile at the inevitable impending response to Yankumi's latest brilliant idea. He was too distracted by Yankumi's absent hand in his latest dilemma. Somehow, she always managed to ruin all of their plans, even if she didn't even know about them.

"Next week, the school is holding an Arts Culture festival, and all of the classes are encouraged to participate, so I thought all last night about what it was our class could do, and I finally came up with it - Here pass these around - We're going to form a choir and sing a touching, passionate medley from Sister Act!"

But what if somehow she did? What if it was part of that mysterious element she sometimes had that she always knew when they were about to do something society considered wrong and was able to thwart them without even being present? What if-

"Yaaabuki... Yabuki!"

"Eh?"

Yabuki was woken from his brooding reverie to find Yankumi leaning over his desk and staring him in the face.

He immediately recoiled. "Too close!"

Already lost in her own little Yankumi world, the teacher had twirled away and begun to follow the path of her latest fantasy.

"Since Yabuki-kun and Odagiri-kun both have such lovely voices-"

"How do you know that?" Tsuchi cut in, causing Yankumi to pause, give a straight answer, and then switch back to her idealistic, floaty tone.

"I listened in last time you went to karaoke - I thought that they could take care of the bigger solos."

Yabuki vaguely caught Ryu's dry expression and rolled his eyes in reply. Already ignoring the rest of Yankumi's litany, he put his cheek down on the desk and stared off at the far wall. Who wanted to sing a ridiculous gospel medley, anyway?

/

The first night, Shin wasn't there. Yabuki searched around the district for an hour or so before giving up.

The following night, Yabuki blew off his friends to return to the red light district again. This time, he did find Shin.

The prostitute was flanked by two older men, neither much to look at. There seemed to be some kind of argument going on, the two supposedly fighting over who would be following Shin back to his apartment. It made Yabuki sick just to see Shin playing up to the both of them, obviously in the hopes of raising his price.

He did look damn good, wearing leather pants that were open and laced at the sides and a matching vest, laced across the front. But no matter how good he looked in those clothes, the sheer cheapness of the outfit was distasteful. There was no mistaking the fact that Shin was a whore.

Yabuki was only moments from barging up and dragging Shin away from those two disgusting old men when another man in a decent-looking business suit approached. He wasn't even the least bit good looking, either, and he seemed to be in his fifties or sixties, but his appearance was clean, and he seemed to be able to vouch for his money better than the other two. It was a very quick affair before he escorted his prize away from two prone old drunks nursing bloody noses and split lips.

On one hand, Yabuki was relieved that Shin had not left with either of the first two, but on the other... He realized that he didn't want to see Shin leave with anyone like that, ever.

The unavoidable truth was that it made Yabuki jealous. He couldn't avoid the fact that Shin was a prostitute, but what he suddenly came to understand, was that he didn't like it.

Not that Yabuki was a shining member of society himself. He didn't look down on people doing what they had to. But that was just it. Surely there was some reason that Shin was tied to such a life, and whatever it was, Yabuki wanted to find out and put a stop to it. It didn't matter that he barely knew Shin, he just felt like it was the right thing to do.

He barely understood the impulse, but all that mattered was that it was there, and he couldn't stand to see any more old men spoiling something special.

/

Shin watched his customer throw down a wad of bills before promptly making his way out the door. Once it closed, he flopped down flat on his back, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Guys like that, he hated the most. Dressing themselves up, pretending they were clean members of society... Those guys were always the roughest in bed.

But they paid better than common trash.

Dragging himself up, Shin gathered up the cash, flicking through the bills in a quick count. There was more than the agreed amount. At least that guy knew when to tip well.

As usual, Shin stored his fee inside a masked, empty wine bottle, then headed to the bathroom for a shower. As he opened the door, Gami slipped out, winding about his legs. He knew she hated being locked up in there, but it wasn't good for buisiness to have a cat wanting to 'play, too'. Most customers weren't fond of careless claws.

Of course, there were always those who liked that sort of thing.

Uninvited, a thought briefly popped into Shin's mind. 'Which type would that Hayato be? Straight-laced, or kinky?'

"Idiot," Shin muttered to himself. "Just forget it already."

He was answered by a hearty meow. Trust Gami to bring a smile to his lips. Poor thing was probably hungry. After a quick shower, he'd put out a little extra food for her.

Thanks to his customer's generosity he'd be able to afford a little extra cat food for the month, among other things.

/

"Yabuki."

Sighing, Yabuki lazily turned to face the teacher, wishing he had been just a little faster to make it out the door.

"Yeah?" he asked, making sure there wasn't an ounce of enthusiasm in his voice or expression. Maybe a miracle would pass and she'd get the hint.

"Could you stay back for a bit? See, there's this part in Ode to Joy that-"

Frustration practically boiling inside of him, Yabuki prepared to give in. There was no arguing with Yankumi when she was like this...

Unless- "I can't. Ryu asked me to help with... with babysitting his neighbor, so-"

"About that," Ryu interrupted."Did I forget to tell you? Koutani-san called last night and said they were coming home early. See you, then!"

And just like that, the traitor Ryu and his three cronies were gone, leaving Yabuki alone to deal with Yankumi.

"Fine," Yabuki sighed, dropping his bag on the nearest desk. "Hurry up and get on with it so I can go already."

"Oh? Got plans tonight?" Uhoh, Yankumi was in meddle mode. "A date, is it? Is she cute?"

"Don't jump to conclusions!" Yabuki snapped. Why did she always do that?

"There's no need to be shy! Come on, tell me all about her! I'll even give you some good advice on how to properly treat a lady-"

Yabuki was about to tell her to get on with the music or he was going to leave, but the word 'advice' made him hesitate. Maybe this was one of those rare cases where Yankumi might actually have some good ideas. The truth was, although he'd decided to rescue Shin, Yabuki didn't have a clue what to do. It had already been a week, and he hadn't thought of a thing.

"Maybe... there is someone," he said quietly, avoiding Yankumi's eyes.

"Oooh? I knew it!"

"But it's not like that... I'm not dating anyone, it's just..."

"Go on, go on."

"There's this... girl. She's older than I am - not a student-"

"Ooohhh, an older woman, huh?"

"Would you stop that?" Yabuki snapped. Here he was seriously trying to ask for advice and Yankumi was being her usual stupid self. Maybe it was a bad idea after all. "Forget it-"

"No, Go on! I promise won't interrupt anymore."

Glancing at the teacher's serious expression, Yabuki decided to give it one more try. "The thing is, I think I kind of like her, but... there's a problem. She's doing something I don't agree with. I mean-"

"What is it?"

There was no more playing in Yankumi's tone. She was finally taking him seriously, so Yabuki decided to just spit it out.

"She's a prostitute. I don't know why she's doing something like that, but I think there has to be some kind of reason. I want to help her, but I don't know where to start."

"Have you tried asking her directly?" Yankumi asked, perching on the edge of the opposite desk, her arms crossed.

"I can't," Yabuki replied meekly. "She made it clear that she doesn't want to have anything to do with me. But even so... even so, I can't stay out of it. I've been watching her for the last week or so. She can't possibly be happy with that kind of life. I can't play ignorant and just let things continue as they are."

Staring Yankumi in the eyes, daring her to argue, Yabuki felt the truth of his words. No matter what, he had to do something, whether Shin wanted it or not.

"I see," Yankumi said quietly. A moment later, she broke eye contact, staring down at the floor as she slipped into her own thoughts.

"What should I do?" Yabuki begged, needing an answer, knowing she would support him in this. She had to!

"Yabuki... This time, I think this is something you should stay out of. I know your intentions are good, but if she doesn't want your help, there could be trouble. Where there are prostitutes, there are police. If they spotted some kind of connection, you would be expelled immediately. Furthermore, the red light district is dangerous! If you're hanging around there, then-"

"I thought you of all people would understand," Yabuki spat quietly. "I thought you'd be able to help me-"

"Yabuki-"

"Forget it. I don't need help from you. I'll figure it out myself!"

Without looking back, Yabuki grabbed his bag and stormed out of the classroom. At first, he didn't notice Ryu by the door. Not until his friend caught up to him and grabbed his arm.

"What the hell is up with you? Spacing out, going out every night without us. Lying to us. For what? A hooker?"

"Huh?"

"I heard. I heard what you said. You've been blowing us off and lying about it… I thought we were friends."

"This isn't about friendship, Ryu," Hayato sighed, avoiding his friends eyes.

"Either way, it doesn't matter. You've chosen her over us – over me."

"It's not like that-!"

"Then what is it like?"

"… She's in trouble. I can't just leave things the way they are."

"Why not?"

"I wouldn't leave you, either!"

"You're supposed to protect me, I'm your friend! She's…-"

"Look, I'm sorry you're jealous, but if you can't understand, I can't make you… I'll see you tomorrow."

Shaking Ryu off, Yabuki broke into a run. He thought about heading somewhere for dinner and then going to confront Shin, but instead he found himself by the riverbank staring out at the polluted water. With an angry cry, he dropped to the ground, sprawling on his back.

He fell like an idiot for confiding in Yankumi. He'd really thought she could step up to the plate, but instead she disappointed him. And then... Ryu... If he knew the hooker Yabuki was obsessing over was a guy, they wouldn't have any friendship left to salvage. It was bad enough as it was...

So what? Yabuki lied. He couldn't tell the truth or what friends he had would abandon him! If he'd been semi-honest from the start, they'd have followed him for sure and found out the truth about Shin. So he couldn't tell the truth, and he couldn't give it up, so what was he supposed to do? Sometimes you had to lie to protect people... He had to lie to protect Ryu. Ryu wouldn't understand. There was no way, he'd be able to take the truth - that Yabuki was falling for another guy.

"Damn it!" Yabuki yelled up at the sky.

Now that he'd already gone and put his friendship on the line, he wanted to just go and talk to Shin, but he couldn't. He couldn't get Yankumi's and Ryu's words out of his head, and no matter how bad it looked, he knew Ryu was still his friend. For now. If Ryu somehow saw him with Shin, that would be that.

/

Yamaguchi glanced around, clutching tighter to her bag strap as she took in the dark alleys and sleezy aura of the place. Somewhere around here was the girl that Yabuki wanted to protect. She'd told him to drop it, but the fact that her cute student was earnestly worried for a girl he cared about forced her to take action. She'd be in trouble, too, if she was spotted here, but unlike Yabuki she had some influence in this area. Perhaps if she found this girl there might be something she could do to-

"Well, hello pretty lady. How much for-"

Restraining the urge to deck the sleezebag, Yankumi let out a tense, high pitched laugh, cutting him off. "You're mistaken," she said in an overly feminine tone. "I'm just passing through." She tried to slip past him, but he didn't take the hint and laid his hand on her arm.

Without a second thought, she took his hand in a crushing grip and removed it from her body before determinedly continuing on her way. "What's wrong with men these days? Don't they understand that no means no?" she muttered to herself.

"No means no," a male voice to her left stated firmly.

Touched by the irony, she glanced around.

Right there, before her eyes, was a face she would never forget. One of her precious students - one of her first precious students, the most promising and talented of all... was standing there in thigh high boots, tiny black denim shorts, and a vest that covered only his arms. In a place like this, in those clothes, there was only one thing he could doing...

Recovering from her shock, Yamaguchi quickly ducked behind the phone booth, trying to calm her racing mind whilst listening in.

"Oh, come on - cheap clothes like that, you can't cost much more than a hundred."

"Are you deaf? I said get lost. You'll turn off my able clientèle," Shin replied.

"Don't look down on me you slutty brat!"

Yamaguchi was just about to jump to her former student's rescue when she heard the crunch of a broken nose followed by retreating footsteps. Glancing around, she saw the suitor laying on the ground clutching at his bloody face, Shin walking away without looking back.

Just what in the hell was that brilliant idiot thinking?

But it was obvious that this was one situation she was going to have to think about. This wasn't like her usual highschool problems, fights and mistakes. This was bigger than that, much bigger. Yamaguchi was going to have to observe the situation and think carefully about how to fix it - but there was no way she would allow her beloved student to continue on such a path!

"Yabuki," she breathed. "I understand your feelings. It's painful, isn't it? Watching a loved one defile themself, not knowing the reason, needing to do something about it... Don't worry, my precious student. I'll find this girl of yours and set her on the right path, just as I'll do with Shin! That idiot... Once I rescue him from this I'm going to kill him!"

TBC...

. Well that's chapter one. I tried to keep the playful and yet serious feel of the series. It's a little difficult to pull off in writing, but I hope you enjoyed it. More to come, chapter two is actually almost finished. O.o (Took a year to write chapter one and I've almost finished chapter two in one night.)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Yabuki thought maybe he could make up with Ryu at school. If the guys wanted him to hang out, he'd go with them. He'd forget about Shin for a while and try and fix his friendship.

But apparently Ryu had no intention of letting him. At first the other guys tried to include him, but that was until Ryu told them about the argument, and then they turned cold as well. No matter what he tried, Yabuki couldn't even get close to them. Even Taki wouldn't give him the time of day.

The first day of it, he spent lunch time practicing that stupid song with Yankumi rather than letting them see him sit around alone. The second day, he skipped school all together. After that, thanks to Yankumi's meddling, he just went to school and ignored the guys just as they ignored him, despite the teacher's unhelpful attempts to make amends. Several nights after that began, he went back to the red light district. It just didn't feel like he could lose anything any more by doing so.

When he found Shin, he just watched from afar, wondering if someone he hardly knew was worth losing his friends over. It seemed obvious that the answer should be 'no', and yet Yabuki went back again and again, watching and wondering what he could do. Until something forced him to act.

Shin was about to leave with a customer when another guy suddenly ran towards them swinging a pole. He targetted the customer first - a pretty weak guy who went down in one hit - then made to attack Shin.

Yabuki was already running towards them, but Shin dodged the blow fairly easily, stepping back out of range. The pole kept swinging, and Yabuki leaped onto the attacker's back, grabbing at his arm.

Shin tried to take that chance to hit him, but the pole swung and he copped a heavy hit to the side, crashing to the ground and coughing.

"Bastard!" Yabuki snarled, wrapping his arm about the guy's neck to distract him. He needed to do something about that pole!

Shin was back on his feet. Thanks to Yabuki's suffocation attempt, he was able to get a grip on the pole and yank it free from the attacker's hands. Tossing the weapon away, Shin then approached as Yabuki jumped away, the prostitute decking the guy hard in the face.

With one punch he was down, and Yabuki cheered, but a moment later, Shin followed, dropping to his knees, clutching his side, and gasping for breath.

"Oi, are you okay? Hang in there!" Yabuki cried, rushing to Shin's side.

The hooker looked up. "You..."

/

It was hard to find someone whose name and face you didn't know. So far Yankumi had found several different girls, but none of them seemed like the type Yabuki would fret over. Of course, she couldn't really know for sure, but the best she could do was keep searching for a likely candidate. Meanwhile, she occasionally checked up on Shin. Keeping silent and watching her dear former student being hit on by sleazy old men wasn't easy, but for the moment, until she knew more, it was all she could do.

Furthermore, to keep her location a secret, she could only go out every other night. If anyone found out where she was, that would all but be the end of her career as a teacher. But for her precious students, she would take that risk.

She had to find that girl without asking Yabuki. Since she'd told him to forget it, it wouldn't do for him to know she was investigating.

If he saw her from his hiding place behind that vending machine, he'd-

Wait, what was he doing there, anyway? If he was there, then his girl must be nearby... Glancing about, Yankumi tried to stay hidden as she surveyed the area, but she couldn't see anyone aside from the two across the street.

Before she could put two and two together, a yell attracted her attention. Running towards Shin and his client was a deranged-looking man with a pole. Dangerous! If he-

Yabuki dashed from his hiding place, running at full speed but unable to stop the first attack. He pounced on the guy, and Yankumi felt a sense of pride watching one of her students jump to the aide of a stranger. Maybe it was a little dangerous, but between the two of them, they could handle such weak trash. Yankumi didn't have to blow her cover just yet.

However, she only had a moment to relax after the brief fight, because something interesting happened that caused Yankumi to reassess the whole situation.

/

"Didn't I tell you to get lost?" Shin growled.

"I know, but-"

"You don't get it, do you? I don't want you anywhere near me, so beat it already." Shin staggered to his feet and then made to retreat, holding onto his injured side.

"I'm not going anywhere," Yabuki insisted, catching up. He grabbed Shin's arm and pulled it over his shoulder. "You're hurt. Lean on me."

"I don't need your help," Shin argued, even as he winced, and unconsciously rested his weight on Yabuki to relieve the ache.

/

"Yabuki..." Yankumi whispered. "The one you want to save is... but it can't be. The 'girl' you like is... Sawada?"

/

Without another word, Yabuki assisted Shin back to his apartment. He took the key Shin handed him, pushed open the door and assisted the prostitute to the futon. Gami quickly trotted over to greet her master as Yabuki helped to ease him down.

"That's enough. You can go now. I'll be fine," Shin told him, holding the cat away from his injured side.

"I don't think so," Yabuki replied.

"It's really not that bad," Shin argued, taking a different tone all of a sudden. "I've had worse."

Yabuki glanced back as he headed towards the kitchen area. Now that he was finally close to Shin once more, he wasn't going to give up his excuse to stay. "Tea or coffee?" he asked.

"Whiskey," Shin replied. "In the cupboard." He gestured the location with his head.

Yabuki smirked. Might as well. Alcohol was as good as a pain killer if not better. Remembering the last time he'd been there, he checked the fridge for cola and found it, proceeding to pour two glasses of whiskey and coke.

"While you're at it, may as well feed Gami for me," Shin sighed. "Wet food's on the bottom shelf."

"Gladly," Yabuki replied, ducking into the fridge to hide his grin. Shin was getting used to the idea of him staying for a bit.

The cat was at his side as soon as the lid was open, and Yabuki laughed as he scooped some of the food into Gami's bowl, glancing at Shin to check on the amount. The moment he moved away, Gami was into the food.

"Healthy apetite," he muttered, replacing the can in the fridge.

"I forgot to feed her earlier," Shin grudgingly admitted.

That done, Yabuki picked up the two drinks and carried them over to the futon, sliding down beside Shin and handing one glass over. Shin glanced at it, then at him, but said nothing and took a sip.

"Thanks," he grudgingly muttered, breaking the silence.

"That guy who attacked you. Do you know him?" Yabuki asked. He had his suspicions.

"What, you weren't stalking me last night, too?" Shin challenged.

"Couldn't find you," Yabuki admitted. In the red light district, it wasn't easy to try and safely stay out of sight whilst looking for one person who kept moving around.

"Aa. That guy was a customer last night... It happens sometimes," Shin explained. "People get possessive, think they have a right to something they don't."

"Someone like that could kill you," Yabuki pointed out.

"How do I know you aren't one of those people? What were you doing following me, anyway? That's creepy, you know. I should report you to the police."

Yabuki ignored the insult and snorted. "I'm sure that would sound good. 'There's a guy stalking me while I'm trying to pick up wealthy businessmen so I can screw them out of their money.'"

"Shut up. What would you know?" Shin grumbled, hiding behind his drink as a took a swig.

Yabuki watched him. "I know that it's dangerous, and that there's gotta be a better way-"

"There is," Shin replied, looking him straight in the eyes. "But not for me."

"What's so different about you?" Yabuki argued.

"I pissed off the wrong person, that's what. I can't work anywhere. I don't have any other options."

"That's ridiculous! Surely someone would hire you-"

"You don't think I tried? I went everywhere, bowed my head, begged on the ground. It's no good. No one will hire me. No one can. Not here, not anywhere. I went to different cities. I even tried in the countryside, but there's nowhere he can't reach," Shin finished. His eyes were unfocused, staring right through the almost empty glass cradled in his hands. "I tried other things. Construction, even tutoring, but you can't live on temp jobs like that. In the end, this was the only way I could survive..." Suddenly he snapped out of it. "So don't think you can just come along, tell me there's a better way, and expect everything to be fixed in a minute. If you get it, then hurry up and get out of here," he added, looking away from Yabuki.

"I don't get it," Yabuki replied without wavering. He purposefully set his glass down on the floor. "Rather, I won't accept it. If it's living expenses, then you can come and stay at my place. Even Gami. My dad's a bit of a pain, but he's a good guy. I-"

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Shin cut in. "Even friends get tired of a freeloader after a while. You shouldn't do things you'll just regret later."

"Like sleeping with people for money?" Yabuki retorted.

"Exactly," Shin replied, meeting his eyes.

Something happened. The moment lasted for too long. Somehow, in an instant, the mood changed.

Before he thought about what he was doing, Yabuki reached out and took the glass from Shin's hand even as he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to Shin's. For a moment, Shin resisted. For a moment, Yabuki felt a horrible sense of fear that he'd done something stupid, and then Shin grabbed him and pulled him closer, parting his lips and pressing his tongue into Yabuki's mouth.

It wasn't like it was Yabuki's first kiss. He wasn't really short on girls to date, even if the smarter ones stayed away from a delinquent like him, but this was different. Maybe because it was a guy, maybe because Shin's lips were especially soft, maybe because he was experienced... Who knew, but for some reason, Yabuki didn't ever want to stop. Even though their bodies were pressed together, he wanted to get closer. Even though his heart was racing, he didn't want to breathe if it meant letting go of Shin's lips.

He felt Shin's hand creeping up his back, under his shirt, and shivered, his own hand sliding up into Shin's hair and cradling the man's head. Somehow, the glasses were gone and Shin was on his back with Yabuki crushed against him, still kissing deeply though they were both out of breath from the intensity.

With great effort, Yabuki pulled his lips just far enough away that he could think without being distracted. Instinctively, Shin followed, trying to keep the contact, but Yaubki pulled away further until Shin backed down, laying his head on the mattress.

Yabuki closed his eyes, resting his forehead against Shin's as he regained his breath. Somehow, he was already hard. He didn't know what he was doing. He wasn't thinking at all, just acting. He very much wanted to just sleep with Shin then and there, and then he'd know for sure how he felt, whether or not he could be with a guy. Just because he liked Shin, that didn't mean he was gay, right? He liked girls, he really liked girls. He didn't even think he was really bi, it was just... There was something about Shin that overrode all his boundaries and senses.

"What's wrong?" Shin breathed, his voice husky and sexy though he probably didn't do it on purpose.

Yabuki opened his eyes, staring down into Shin's. He knew what he wanted, that wasn't a problem. What was a problem was that he didn't know what Shin was thinking at all. Was he just another warm body?

"If you're worried about the fee, I won't charge you," Shin stated bluntly.

For some reason, it pissed Yabuki off. "Who's worried about something like that?" he growled. "It's just..." he took a deep breath, calming himself down. "I don't know if this is a good idea."

"You're the one who kissed me," Shin pointed out, sounding angry, himself. "You're the one who insisted on following me back here. If you don't want sex, then I can't think of anything else I can offer you."

Yabuki closed his eyes again. He didn't want to hear that. Shin's casualness concerning sex hurt. But more importantly, there was something he had to ask:

"If... If we do this... Afterwards, are you going to throw me out again? Are you going to tell me not to come back?"

He waited. Shin said nothing. Only when he opened his eyes to face Shin did he recieve an answer.

"No," Shin said quietly, as if it was an important decision to him, too.

"Good," Yabuki whispered. He was about to reach for Shin's lips again, when a thought suddenly occurred to him. "Maybe we shouldn't do this now," he said, sitting up. "You're hurt," he added in explanation.

"I'm fine," Shin argued, grabbing Yabuki by the collar and dragging him back down for another kiss, this time with a hint of aggression as if to dare Yabuki to argue.

If Shin said he was fine, then... Well, Yabuki would try and be careful, at least...

That was his last thought before Shin's knee pressed up against his hard on, diverting his attention.

/

(Lemon Warning)

/

To be honest, Shin was still feeling the injury to his side, but he didn't care. Nothing was broken, it was just a nasty bruise. It'd go away eventually. Right now, he had other things on his mind.

Forgetting about the Yankumi issue for the moment, Shin couldn't shake his undeniable attraction to Hayato. It had been a long time since he'd been with someone he actually liked. Far too long. In fact, maybe he never had.

He'd known what was going to happen the moment Hayato insisted on helping him back to his apartment. Maybe the high-schooler had innocent intentions, but Shin was more than aware of the sexual tension that had developed from their first meeting. Rather than Hayato, it was himself he didn't trust. And yet, Hayato had been the one to kiss him. So be it. It took the difficult decision out of Shin's hands. Not that there was much to decide, it was going happen sooner or later.

Now, rather than regretting it, Shin was determined to forget about his worries for a while - injury included - and just enjoy the benefits that sexual attraction had to offer. He didn't even feel guilty in potentially corrupting a high school student. Hayato was more than a good kisser, he obviously had his own share of experience, even if this was his first time with a guy. And yet, he was so easy to manipulate.

In a few short movements, Shin had Hayato stripped of his shirt and on his back. He took a moment to appreciate Hayato's fit physique, slowly running his hands over the boy's bare chest.

He then leaned down, making sure his lips brushed Hayato's ear as he spoke. "Was this what you had in mind when you brought me home?" he asked, even though he knew the answer.

"No," Hayato answered immediately.

"Didn't think about it while you were watching me from the shadows?" Shin pressed, enjoying the sudden sense of heat he could feel off of Hayato's face.

"I just wanted to see you," Hayato answered straightforwardly.

The answer was so endearing that Shin decided to stop teasing him.

"Don't think too much of it," he said, "but I wanted to see you, too."

Before Hayato could say anything, he covered the boy's mouth with his lips.

/

Yabuki gasped, feeling ripples of cold and hot as Shin's ass rubbed back and forth over his erection. He'd completely lost any sense of control over the situation, but that was fine. He was happy to let Shin do as he wished. When the older man leaned down and brushed their lips together, Yabuki reached up and ran his hands over Shin's naked back, feeling the subtle muscles there ripple as slim hips continued to rock.

Somehow, the slow, shallow kiss was almost more sensual than the most intense and passionate of kisses. Yabuki found himself responding to Shin's rhythm, his own hips moving just slightly in reply, his lips countering the movement of Shin's, the tips of their tongues barely touching every so often. Slowly, Yabuki ran one hand down over Shin's shorts, feeling the curve of his ass. Shin ground into him harder as his fingers skimmed the bare skin of the prostitute's thigh.

Shin's lips moved away from his own, kissing his chin, his jaw... A mixture between a whimper and a grunt slipped past Yabuki's lips, completely out of his control. He bared his neck even as his hand slid over the tight fitting denim shorts up to the small of Shin's back. He paused for a moment, just feeling Shin's soft skin and the subtleties of his movement, then slowly slid his hand under the material, the tightness of the shorts forcing his fingers to dig into the bare flesh of Shin's backside.

He could hear Shin's breathing, as loud as his own. Somehow it seemed important that Shin was as turned on as he was. He didn't want to be the unexperienced high school boy compared to the overly experienced hooker just playing around for fun... That wasn't what this was about. Not for him.

Experimentally, he brushed his fingers between Shin's ass cheeks, gently touching that sensitive area. A similar choked sound to his own slipped from Shin's lips, his hips jumping briefly, involuntarily. Yabuki smiled. That was the sort of reaction he wanted.

Shin shifted, sliding further down Yabuki's body. His hand slipped out from under the tight shorts, coming to rest in the middle of Shin's back as the prostitute's tongue swiped over his nipple. Yabuki gasped. No girl had ever done that to him. He didn't know it could feel so good.

As Shin continued licking and kissing the little brown bud, Yabuki's breath hitched and his fingers clenched. He'd never felt like this with a girl. He'd never felt dangerously hard every single moment. His body had never been so sensitive, or so tense. He'd never enjoyed so much the feel of another's skin under his fingers.

Shin switched to the other nipple, raising his hips so that he was barely touching Yabuki anymore. Yabuki craved contact, but he restrained himself. Too much of Shin's body against his and it would all be over far too soon.

He lay there, with his eyes closed, just appreciating the sensation of Shin's tongue on his body, and the very slight rise and fall of Shin's back under his hand as he drew each breath. It was different. Really different. The girls he'd messed around with were all rush rush. There weren't any moments like this where he could appreciate just being with another person.

He wondered if Shin's clients felt this way.

As if to reprimand him for the thought, Shin suddenly pulled away. A little dazed, Yabuki panicked for a moment, thinking he'd done something wrong, but then he felt the hooker's fingers working his button and zip. Automatically, he shifted to help ease off his pants, then groaned as Shin rubbed his erection through his trunks.

"I'm gonna go nuts," he muttered as the prostitute slowly pulled the rather tight trunks down, freeing his erection. As if in answer, Shin's fingers brushed his balls rather deliberately, and he shivered. Shin stopped halfway down his thighs, leaving his legs somewhat bound.

"Hang in there," he said with a cocky grin that made Yabuki wanna punch his lights out.

Seriously. Yabuki was suffering there while Shin was laughing at him!

A moment later, he forgot all about his urge to put Shin in his place.

The prostitute's fingers slipped around the base of his erection, urging it upright as lips slightly swollen from kissing descended upon it. For a short time, it was the best fifteen seconds of Yabuki's life. Shin proved that his incredible lips could outdo any girl Yabuki had ever been with in less than half a minute - but that was the problem. How much was a high school kid supposed to take?

So all he got was fifteen seconds, because after fifteen seconds, he couldn't take it anymore.

"Shin. Shin, I'm-"

Ignoring his warning, Shin briefly increased his efforts and pushed Yabuki over the edge. Again, for a short time, it was the best orgasm he'd ever experienced.

/

Shin was so used to doing things this way that it wasn't until after Hayato stopped trembling that he realized he wished he could have seen the boy's face as he came. Oh well, he wouldn't miss it this time around...

Before Hayato had the chance to say a single thing, Shin was already stroking his erection - still half hard. He waited until the moment he knew Hayato was about to speak before he once more took it between his lips, this time slowly running his tongue around the head. If Hayato thought it was good before, he was going to be surprised.

It wasn't like Shin was proud of being a hooker. In fact, he was disgusted with himself, but he had no other choice. So at the very least, it couldn't hurt to feel a little proud of the sexual prowess he'd gained as a professional perk. In fact, he didn't think he'd ever had so much fun finding new ways to make a lover moan. Hayato might play it cool, but he was an absolute pushover in bed, at least, he was for Shin.

As he slowly slid Yabuki's trunks down and off, the boy automatically adjusted, raising and spreading his knees. Usually, Shin hated it when guys grabbed his head while he was blowing them, but somehow, when Hayto's fingers curled into his hair, he barely noticed, accepting the gesture as yet another exhibition of appreciation. However, when Hayato's fingers began to clench unconsciously, Shin realized that he was getting a little too carried away. It was time to move on, or else they'd never get anywhere.

Completely abandoning the high-schooler, Shin stood and moved away. As he began to ease out of his rather tight pants, he suddenly realized how much of an effect Hayato's responses had had on him. He was rock solid and already wet at the tip. With realization came sensation, and Shin bit his lip to muffle a moan.

Glancing over at Hayato, he didn't fail to miss the pleased smirk on the boy's face.

"Shut up," he muttered. "Cocky brat."

The smirk shifter into a grin as Hayato boldly wiggled his hips.

Just once more, Shin took a moment to consider whether or not he was losing his mind. He stood there, pants hanging in one hand, staring at the gorgeous, naked boy lying on his futon. The gorgeous, naked, high school boy. He could go to prison for that.

So what was he worried about? One of these days he'd go to prison for prostitution, anyway.

"Problem?" Hayato asked, his usual cocky tone tainted by the faintest touch of doubt.

"Just wondering if you appreciate the service you're getting for free," Shin replied as he chucked his pants over his shoulder. Though not before fishing out the condom that had fallen down the pant leg after being stuck to his thigh for a couple of hours. He cast one brief glance over at the kitty sleeping soundly beside her food bowl before stalking back to the futon. He dropped to his knees, legs either side of Hayto's. Staring straight into the boy's eyes, he bit open the packet and tossed it aside, bringing the condom down on Hayato's still saliva-slick hard-on. Slowly, he rolled it down, taking much longer than needed and feeling much more of Hayato's cock than he should have for such a simple task.

Still holding Hayato's eyes, he leaned forward, resting his hands palms flat on the boy's chest. He thought about going for another kiss before getting started, but decided against it. However, just as he was pressing back towards Hayato's cock, the boy's arm hooked around his neck, dragging him down and guiding their lips together.

Shin couldn't help smiling against Hayato's lips. Somehow, the boy's need for kisses was just cute in a very needy, and thus image-opposing way. But cute was getting old fast... or so Shin's crotch insisted.

Breaking the kiss, he brought his fingers up to gently caress Hayato's jawline, observing the boy's oh so honest expression.

"This is seriously your last chance," he said, his lips just brushing Hayato's skin.

Hayato turned his face just slightly to match the angle of Shin's, their lips almost touching once again.

"I'm not going anywhere," he breathed, and the way his eyes flicked down before meeting Shin's brought the matter to a new level of urgency.

Pushing off of Hayato's chest, Shin raised himself to a sitting position. He rolled his hips back until he could feel the tip of Hayato's erection against his ass.

As he began to raise himself up, he winced unintentionally as the action caught his injury. Instantly, Hayato gripped his arm, stopping him from going any further.

"Are you sure about this?" Hayato asked, lust replaced rather admirably with concern.

Really, Shin had to hand it to him. Did he really think he'd be able to stop?

Rather than answering aloud, Shin replied in the best way he knew how. He wriggled his hips until Hayato's cock was nestled against his entrance, then reached back to steady it as he pressed against it, urging it to enter him. Closing his eyes and tossing back his head, he bit his lip as he rocked his hips slightly, easing Hayato's erection into his body. The pre-lubed Condom, a familiar feeling, slid fairly easily into him as Hayato's grunts betrayed his inexperience.

Meanwhile, Shin continued to move his hips, even just the tiniest bit, to keep adjusting. But Hayato, while ample enough, was not a middle-aged business-man. It didn't take long until Shin was fully adjusted, his lips trembling slightly between his teeth as every little movement felt pleasurable. He'd long ago stopped feeling the pain.

He fully intended to get on with it and give Hayato the ride of his life, but the moment he looked down at the high-schooler, he froze, his eyes glued to the boy's expression. Hayato was staring up at him intensely, causing Shin to suddenly wonder what kind of face he'd been making to warrant such a response.

"W-what?" he asked, just a touch breathless.

Without a word, Hayato gently laid his hand on Shin's arm, slowly sliding it up over subtle muscles, around Shin's shoulder, down his back - and then Shin was suddenly pulled down, gasping at the sudden shift in position. His lips were beside Hayato's ear, and he was sure the boy could hear every shaky breath.

And then Hayato began to roll his hips and Shin's body responded automatically, both matching and fighting Hayato's rhythm. He realized he could hear Hayato's breath just as clearly, and as bold as the boy had been, he sounded far less than composed. Suddenly his other hand came up around Shin's back, the further contact bringing a smile to Shin's lips.

It was his turn to take back control. He braced himself on his forearms, keeping his face right beside Hayato's as he worked his hips, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of Hayato's cock sliding inside of him.

"Sh-shin!"

The way Hayato sounded, Shin was fairly sure he didn't even know he'd called out. But that was okay. He was just a high-schooler after all. Of course he was going to be overwhelmed by someone with Shin's experience. And this was one experience Shin wasn't going to let the boy forget.

He turned his face just slightly, letting his lips brush Hayato's jaw. As he raised the pace, he began to softly kiss the boy's skin at a much different, slower rhythm. Every so often, his lips brushed the corners of Hayato's, of his tongue flicked the boy's cheek. When Hayato instinctively tried to reach for his lips to kiss, Shin pulled away, grinning, and slowed his hips until Hayato had better uses for his mouth - such as groaning.

But teasing was only fun for so long, because Shin began to want it, too. He wanted to feel Hayato's lips against his own, he wanted to impress upon them what he couldn't say in words, what feelings he couldn't even begin to describe, whether sexual, or something else. Unable to stop himself, he brushed Hayato's lips just once, and then it was like a magnet drawing them together.

Kissing during sex was something Shin didn't do. A kiss was a tool. It served to warm a client up, or raise the price. There was no need for that once business was being conducted.

However, this was different. This was emotional, and passionate, and sexual, and for the first time, Shin felt pleasure both physically and emotionally at once.

/

So many feelings, so many thoughts. The heat of Shin surrounding him. The touch of Shin's lips. The memory of the first time their hands had touched. The brush of Shin's belly against his. The realization that he'd fallen, hard, almost without noticing. The gentle grazing of Shin's hair against his cheek, his lips, his nose. The acknowledgment that he was really having sex with a guy - and that he didn't care. The feel of Shin's back under his hands.

There was so much, so very, very much, and Yabuki didn't know what to do with it all, so he just went with the flow. His body seemed to move almost on it's own, his hips tilting and thrusting as Shin's pressed back against him, forcing him deeper into Shin's body. It was totally different to being with a girl, and he couldn't help analyzing the feeling.

Until Shin kissed him. In that moment, everything returned to the physical. He savored every parting and closing of Shin's lips and every touch of their tongues. He relished the incredible feeling of Shin riding him, tingles - showers of pleasure rippling through him at each movement that caressed him even further.

There was a sense of urgency and reservation all at once. Bliss nipped at him, but at the same time he felt like he could go on forever, kissing Shin, touching him, pressing into him, and sliding back out... But at some point, his body began to take over, hips moving faster, Shin clenching tighter around him, his cock driving into Shin's ass taking all the focus his over-loaded brain could afford.

The moment his mind began to go blank with sensation was the moment he lost control. Fingers clenching, hips driving rapidly.

He felt his orgasm coming long before it actually began, and long after it ended. He didn't know when they'd stopped kissing, or when Shin had sat up once more, leaning on his chest for support. He vaguely remembered stroking and squeezing Shin's erection as he trembled and came. And he remembered feeling more incredible than he ever had in his life.

Blinking dazedly, he realized that his eyes were rimmed with sweat. In fact, Shin's skin was slightly slick under his touch and his own hair felt somewhat damp. He was still over-heated.

But rather than that... Shin's expression caught his attention. The prostitute seemed dumbstruck by something, as if maybe something were different from usual. He was staring back at Yabuki rather dopily.

Then, all of a sudden, he moved, Yabuki's spent cock slipping from him as he shifted to one side. Without a word, he pulled off the used condom and carelessly tossed it in the trash before sighing and stretching out at Yabuki's side. His wince was noticeable, but when Shin closed his eyes, his face relaxed, and Yabuki suddenly realized how exhausted he was from his own exertion. Shifting over so Shin had more room, he just lay there and observed the gorgeous prostitute, still feeling the echoes or a great orgasm.

/

Staring up at the roof a while later, adrenaline and exhaustion both worn off, Shin could feel the injury to his side with every breath. Maybe he was stupid for trying to ignore it, but... He didn't regret it. Not really. It was just... he wondered what he'd gotten himself into. He'd sad he wouldn't chase Hayato away anymore, but there was still the problem of Yankumi. That woman just couldn't stay out of her students' business. If this kept up, it would only be a matter of time before she found out what Shin was doing. No matter what, Shin didn't want her to know. He'd rather die than disappoint the only person who had ever believed in him.

If Hayato was the one to back away, he wouldn't be breaking his promise, would he?

"I said I wouldn't throw you out," he said suddenly, knowing he was wrecking the peaceful mood, but unable to stop himself. "But this doesn't change anything. I'm not going to stop being a prostitute, so if that bothers you so much, you should make the choice to stay away."

Hayato pushed himself up so he could see Shin's face, but Shin continued staring up at the ceiling without meeting his eyes.

"In other words, I accept that you're sleeping with other guys, or say goodbye now," Hayato translated quietly.

Shin nodded. "That's the deal."

Hayato flopped back down beside him. "I guess if that worried me I wouldn't be here in the first place," he said. "But I'm not going to give up," he added annoyingly. "I don't want to see you get hurt again."

"I told you I can take care of myself," Shin snapped, twisting to face Hayato and undermining his point by grimacing due to the bruise forming on his side.

Hayato's expression was serious as he reached out and gently ran his hand over Shin's injured side. "That doesn't mean you won't get hurt, it just means you can ignore it," he said quietly.

Shin huffed. "Just what kind of high school student are you, anyway?" he muttered.

Hayato grinned. "Not a very good one."

Well, that was probably true if he'd gotten stuck with Yankumi for a teacher. For a moment, Shin felt a touch of nostalgic sympathy for him, but that only reminded him of his predicament and he sighed.

"Yeah, I wasn't so good, either," he said to cover. "Oi," he muttered, suddenly thinking of something. "Don't you have any friends to hang out with instead of hanging around here and following me about?"

Apparently that was a good question, judging by Hayato's expression.

"Come to think of it, weren't you with a bunch of guys the first time I saw you? What happened to them?" Shin pressed. He got the feeling there was a story behind it.

Hayato wouldn't look at him. "It's not like we were inseparable or anything. We had a disagreement. No big deal."

"I see," Shin murmured.

He decided to leave it alone. Hayato reminded him a lot of himself during high school, so pushing the issue probably wouldn't be of any use.

In the following silence, Shin wondered what had happened to his own friends as he did every so often. Was Uchi still working at that company? Had Kuma managed to keep his father's store open? Were they doing better than he was? He hoped so.

Sudden music jolted Shin from his thoughts even as Hayato startled beside him.

"My phone," Hayato concluded aloud, crawling over Shin to grab his pants and dig into the pockets. He hesitated for a moment, looking at the caller ID.

"If that's your friend, you should answer it," Shin advised, thinking of his old friendships and how he regretted feeling to ashamed to face them.

Hayato paused a moment longer, then pressed the answer button, raising the phone to his ear.

/

Ryu was about to give up when Hayato finally answered.

"Ryu," said a cold voice on the other end of the line.

"I'm sorry," Ryu said immediately. He'd already swallowed his pride when he made the phone call. There was no point in being shy about it. "Can we talk?"

"It's late," Hayato replied. But Ryu knew him well enough to know that that was enough of a concession that he had a chance.

"I know," he said, leaving the ball in Hayato's court.

"What's up?" Hayato sighed.

Ryu smiled, relieved that he hadn't blown things completely just yet. "Meet me at Kagero's in fifteen minutes, k?"

"Ryu - Hang on!"

Ryu paused, about to hang up, but he raised the phone back to his ear and waited.

"I'm... I'm not at home," Hayato reluctantly admitted. "Make it half an hour."

"... Sure."

Ryu suppressed a wave of jealousy as he hung up the phone. The only reason Hayato would sound that reluctant to admit he wasn't home... the only thing he could have to hide was that he was out at the red light district again watching over that prostitute. Or was he with her? Had he managed to get close to her? Looking down at his phone and the charm Hayato had given him for his last birthday, Ryu wondered if he'd ever be able to shake the feelings he had for his friend. He knew Hayato wasn't interested in guys. That guy was so into women he'd probably turn into one some day. It was only a matter of time before some girl would come along and tear apart their friendship, or was it happening already?

Even if it burned his pride to apologize, Ryu couldn't let his jealousy push Hayato away. Even if Hayato never looked at him in the same way, Ryu wanted to at least keep the friendship they'd restored thanks to Yankumi.

TBC...

Wah! Sorry for the delay, even though I said it was almost done. . I got stuck on the lemon and then things got crazy busy around here!!

Honestly, don't know how long the next chapter will be. It's started, but it might still be a while considering my schedule for the next month or so.

Still! I hope you enjoy it enough to continue to follow on. .


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